Author: <span>Tevis Steere</span>

Life Path

Reaching Goals & Navigating Obstacles

How do we begin again & choose a new path towards achieving what we want in life & for yourself?

We are a desire driven species fueled by passion, motivation & inspiration as well as purpose. Whether it’s objects or careers we see things we want for ourselves & others. Some people seem to reach their goals while other loose aim of what they want for various reasons.

What determines whether we achieve our goals or not? Most often it’s the obstacles we face along the way. No matter what we want it’s inevitable that something will get in the way. Obstacles are neither positive or negative, they are simply there. How we choose to navigate them is our own free will. We are certainly challenged in life & even suffering is a part of our journey. We will likely suffer the loss of most of the people we meet in life. Most of life’s lessons are often painful ones. Other lessons have deep meaning in other memorable ways. I believe these are the times for us to gain knowledge & wisdom.

Quite often we avoid our feelings especially painful ones in an effort to manage life. At times some obstacles feel unnavigable & we feel like quitting, giving up or saying “f… it.”

Sometimes we struggle with the smallest of obstacles & feel overwhelmed if yet another obstacle reveals itself no matter it’s size. This is when individuals suffer the most especially if they have a history of being victimized or suffering meaninglessly.

When feelings are intense & people feel overwhelmed it’s hard to cope with obstacles. We have trouble learning from the choices we have made & often retreat into the misery we feel loosing the opportunity to learn & gain knowledge.

Pain & suffering can be our greatest teachers. We do not forget what matters to us. If we do not learn from our failures we are destined to repeat them. There is knowledge & wisdom to be gained from the meaning of our suffering. If we do not learn then it is meaningless suffering.

The path to achieving your goals is determined by what matters to you. You navigate the obstacles you face by keeping your aim on what truly matters especially when it is most challenging. When challenged we can gain wisdom from the meaning of the feelings we experience whether positive or negative.

Conversations about wisdom have resulted in defining it as, “knowledge gained through experience.” Or better yet, “knowledge gained through suffering.”

If we don’t learn from our feelings or suffering it’s meaningless suffering.

Call me at 502-295-5008 to further explore how to stay on path to reaching your destiny. It’s not far off in the future or down the road. It is the present, it’s the next choice right in front of you. The choice will either keep aim on your path or lead you off the path of getting what you want.

Tevis Steere, LCSW

How to Get a Good Nights Sleep?

In today’s competitive world, sleep is sometimes considered more of a luxury than a necessity. Sleep is important for the well-being of an individually both emotionally and physically. Insufficient sleep or no sleep has long lasting health and psychological effects. If you have been experiencing insomnia, it may be due to a number of factors, including stress, anxiety or depression as well as numerous medically issues. In order to address your sleep problem, it can be beneficial to meet with a myriad of professionals including a psychotherapist. A mental health professional can help you change your behavior and manage feelings and emotions that may interfere with your sleep.

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Anxiety

Anxiety is something that exists in everyone’s life. An anxiety response is appropriate to external circumstances whether joyful or painful. When anxiety reaches the stage where it overwhelms you mentally and physically, and affects your normal routine of life psychotherapy is essential to an individual’s well being. Read more

Couples/Marriage Therapy

Couples begin to develop a relational dynamic between them after living together for some time. I often see young couples one to three years after marriage or living together under the same roof. For better or for worse a dynamic begins to occur in relation to how we speak to each other. Certain expectations and assumptions of how and where the conversation is going begin to emerge. This predictability can be beneficial and empathetic to those we care for and can help understanding within a relationship occur.
Unfortunately the same expectations and assumptions can lead to misinterpretation and misunderstanding. Judgement and criticism can often be received without intent and lead to a negative scripted outcome between two individuals. It can begin to feel like basic communication without conflict is not possible. Countless times couples will come into my office with this description of their relationship feeling misunderstood and alienated from one another. These feelings are real and anyone in a relationship has felt this way at one time or another!
When meeting with these couples I first commend them for their awareness and decision to seek help to change the negative scripted dynamic beginning to emerge. We identify what part of their script is beneficial as well as how they fall into the negative outcomes. It is essential to realize that this is a dynamic between two individuals. Each person has brought themselves to the relationship and must take responsibility. Taking responsibility and not blaming results in change.
Couples have often said they come away with “real tools” after seeing me for the first time. I certainly feel that way too! Several couples have entered Couples Group Therapy and helped create and maintain positive change in their lives. Call today to schedule an appointment or for a free phone consultation.
Tevis Steere, LCSW    Steere Family Therapy     502-295-5008

Children and Divorce

Working through differences and saving a marriage is not always in the best interest of a family. Sometimes divorce is the answer and the best alternative for all family members. Not only is this realization difficult for husband and wife to achieve but their children are often left with uncertainties and misunderstandings. Helping children gain awareness of what is occurring in the family and what it means in regards to the current and future situation for them individually and for the family is essential to their well-being.

Children may exhibit resistance to change and their experience of uncertainties in many ways. Anger and anxiety can be expressed behaviorally in home or at school at times. Achieving an understanding and acceptance of how a child feels can often help them work through their emotions and change behaviors immediately. Everyone’s feelings matter and deserve to be acknowledged and understood.

Having parents sit down with their children and a professional can often provide some security and foundation immediately during the first session. Having both parents in attendance let the children know although arrangements will be different they are still a family parented and loved as well as supported by both mother and father. The children’s well-being is often the most sensitive and significant element of the process requiring nurturance and guidance to work through these difficult times. With the professional help these young individuals can come through with a sense of resiliency and confidence to work through other challenges the may face in their lifetime!

Children and Divorce

Working through differences and saving a marriage is not always in the best interest of a family. Sometimes divorce is the answer and the best alternative for all family members. Not only is this realization difficult for husband and wife to achieve but their children are often left with uncertainties and misunderstandings. Helping children gain awareness of what is occurring in the family and what it means in regards to the current and future situation for them individually and for the family is essential to their well-being.

Children may exhibit resistance to change and their experience of uncertainties in many ways. Anger and anxiety can be expressed behaviorally in home or at school at times. Achieving an understanding and acceptance of how a child feels can often help them work through their emotions and change behaviors immediately. Everyone’s feelings matter and deserve to be acknowledged and understood.

Having parents sit down with their children and a professional can often provide some security and foundation immediately during the first session. Having both parents in attendance let the children know although arrangements will be different they are still a family parented and loved as well as supported by both mother and father. The children’s well-being is often the most sensitive and significant element of the process requiring nurturance and guidance to work through these difficult times. With the professional help these young individuals can come through with a sense of resiliency and confidence to work through other challenges the may face in their lifetime!

Ways to Help Your Children Develop Self Esteem and Confidence

Self-esteem and confidence are essential components in an individuals life towards independence and autonomy. What one deems as a affirming or a success is a lifelong endeavor, the foundation of it needs to be established in early childhood. Building self-esteem will allow the child to deal with difficult situations that they will encounter during their lifetime. Since parents have a major influence on us it is important for them to support and guide children in the navigation of the obstacles they will encounter. Praise, reassurance, curious question asking as well as empathy are vital to the development of confidence and self-esteem as well as coping skills.

Read more

Anxiety

Anxiety is something that exists in everyone’s life. An anxiety response is appropriate to external circumstances whether joyful or painful. When anxiety reaches the stage where it overwhelms you mentally and physically, and affects your normal routine of life psychotherapy is essential to an individual’s well being. Read more

Looking for Help is Sign of Strength

Individual treatment is often termed as psychotherapy, and is meant to help people with their emotional issues, which can range in severity or intensity. The main aim of this form of therapy is to change the quality of life by defining the path of life clearly, and bringing in more clarity. Whether it is issues repressed from childhood that you are facing, or current life stressors due to divorce, failure or loss of a loved one, a professional psychotherapists can help you revive your mental health through the therapeutic process.

Read more

Life Path

Reaching Goals & Navigating Obstacles How do we begin again & choose a new path towards achieving what we want in …

How to Get a Good Nights Sleep?

In today’s competitive world, sleep is sometimes considered more of a luxury than a necessity. Sleep is important for the …

Anxiety

Anxiety is something that exists in everyone’s life. An anxiety response is appropriate to external circumstances whether …